Book-leveler.



No. 642,565. Patented Jan. 30, I900. G. H. ROGERS.

BOOK LEVELEB.

(Application filed Mar. 27, 1899.

(No Model.)

"15 News PETERS comuom-umo. WASHINGTON. o c.

GEORGE H. ROGERS, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.-

BOOK-LEVELER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,565, dated January 30, 1906.

Application filed March 2'7, 1899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. ROGERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Birmingham, Jefierson county, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Levelers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,- attention being called to the accompanying drawings, with the reference-numerals marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices used to bring the two parts of the open face of a book to a level with each other to render writing convenient at times when one side of such open face is lower than the other side by reason of the larger part of the leaves being all on such other side and as it occurs, for in stance, when the book is used at the beginning or near the end. Such devices form, substantially, a support to be placed under the at the time lower side of the book to raise it to a level with the higher one, and they are also adjustable in height to permit raising or lowering, as the case may require, when the leaves are turned from one side to the other. They are more particularly intended for use in connection with larger books and as required, for instance, for recording purposes and in mercantile business.

My invention consists of certain features and details of construction, as fully described in the annexed specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows an end view of a book with my device in position for raising one side of the open face of the book to a level with the other side, which latter is higher by reason of most of the leaves being thereat. Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1, with the exception that the supported side has been raised to compensate for the leaves which it is supposed have meanwhile all been turned over to the other side. Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 1, omitting, however, thelarger part of the book and showing only a portion thereof along the edge of the supported side. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the paper-clamp or leaf-holder. 1

The device consists, substantially, of a shelf 5, upon which the cover 6 of the at the time Serial No. 710,685. No model.)

lower side of the book is intended to rest and which is connected to a base '7, the means of connection being such as to permit the shelf to be raised or lowered. There are also means whereby the whole supporting device may be temporarily attached to the cover of the book which it is supporting at the time, so that in case the book is moved the position of the device may not be disarranged, causing the cover to slip off therefrom. There are further means provided to aid in manipulating these locking means, which means serve also in part as a leaf-holder or paper-clamp to hold the leaves, particularly the top leaf, down.

The means for supporting shelf 5 consist of two levers 8, pivoted at 9 between the walls of a housing 11, and the outer ends of which carry said shelf. The ends of said levers not being sufficiently broad to furnish the requi-' site surface which a firm support would re.- quire, such is obtained by pins 12, secured to such ends and projecting from each side of the levers. The shelf is held in place on those pins by means of loops 13, secured to the under side of the shelf and within which these pins move during adjustment. For con venience of manufacture these loops are obtained by cutting out and depressing parts of shelf 5, which is of sheet metal, and by forming said depressed portions into the shape shown. The shelf is raised or lowered by the oscillation of the levers, which move simultaneously and for which purpose they are operatively connected. This connection is by segmental racks 14, formed one at each of the inner ends of each of the levers, and the teeth of which are in mesh with each other. By reason of this arrangement it is only necessary to actuate one lever,after which the other follows. For so actuating one lever I provide a worm 15, the shaft of which is mounted one end in the end of housing 11 and the other in a bearing 16, supported within the former. This worm is rotated bya pair of bevel-wheels 17, one mounted on the shaft of the former and the other on a shaftlS, supported in the sides of the housing. This latter shaft carries also a cog-wheel 19,whereby it is rotated by means of a cog-wheel 21, mounted on an operatingshaft 22, also mounted in the longer sides of the housing. The ends of shaft 22 are extended to project beyond the outside of the housing and receive operating knobs or handles 23 to manipulate the device for the purpose of adjusting the height of shelf 5. There is such a handle on each side, so that ready access is had to operate the device from either side-that is, from right or left-according to which lid of the book it is under.

The movement of the levers should be limited by suitable stops, for which purpose loops 13 may serve, which limit such movement, particularly upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, which shows shelf 5 in its highest position. Downwardly the movement is also limited by the top of housing 11, as shown by dotted lines in same figure.

When starting from the front of a book, the device is put in position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, with shelf 5 raised as high as required, to bring the leaves after being turned over to the left side to a level with the uppermost leaf on the right side, the shelf being meanwhile gradually lowered from time to time to compensate for the accumulation of the leaves as they are so turned from one side to the other. After having passed beyond the middle of the book the device is changed to the other side, as shown in same figure, with shelf 5 adjusted to the lowest positionthat is, with reference to the side of the book to be supported-and from which position it is gradually raised as the leaves are continued to be turned over to the other side.

For attaching the device to the book-lid I provide a flanged nut 24, carried by a post 25, rising from the middle of shelf 5, between which nut and said shelf the edge of the lid is clamped. This post also supports a leafholder, being substantially a spring-pressed presser-foot 26, carried in a barrel 27, which contains also aspring 28 to impart the necessary pressure. This barrel is supported on the outer end of an arm 29, projecting from a sleeve 31, which closely fits post 24, on which it may be slid up or down. For putting it in position it is simply swung over the top leaf to its proper position-as shown in Fig. 3, for instanceafter which its supporting parts are pressed down by taking a hold of either barrel 27, arm 29, or sleeve 31. This causes a compression of the spring with in the barrel, and thereby incites the expansive action of the same, which tends to lift the outer end of arm 29 upwardly, causing sleeve 31 to bind on the post. The resistance caused by this unequal one-sided stress is sufficient for all purposes to retain the presserfoot in position to hold the leaves down. To release the paper-holder, it is only necessary to relieve the binding stress of sleeve 31 by lifting it slightly, for which purpose hold is taken of it or of a pin 32 extending therefrom, after which the whole contrivance is raised up evenly on post 25. The upper end of this latter is provided with an enlargement 33 to prevent disengagement of the parts.

The lower part of sleeve 31 is enlarged, as shown at 34:, and recessed from below, the

recess being shaped to fit nut 24, thereby forming a wrench for the latter, of which arm 29 forms the handle, and which is used when the device is to be locked to the lid of a book.

Fig. 2 shows the paper-holder in position when it is so used as a wrench, and the dotted lines in Fig. 3 show the termini of its movement and path of its motion. When the limit of this motion is exhausted, the wrench is lifted out and returned for the next turn, as may be readily surmised.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. In a device to level the two sides of the open face of a book, the combination of a shelf adapted to support that side which would be otherwise lower, a base for the device resting upon the means which support the other side of the book, levers which carry the shelf and connect the same to the base of the device, segmental racks at the inner ends of these levers, engaging each other and means engaging one of these racks for the purpose of oscillating the levers.

2. In a deviceto level the two sides of the open face of a book, the combination of a shelf adapted to support the lid of that side which would otherwise be lower, a base supporting the device in line with the lid of the other side, levers pivoted to this latter and supporting the shelf, their inner ends being provided with segmental racks, the teeth of which engage each other, a worm engaging one of these racks and means to rotate the worm.

3. In a device to level the two sides of the open face of a book, the combination of an adjustably-supported shelf adapted to support the otherwise lower side of such book, a post connected to and projecting upwardly therefrom having its lower portion screwthreaded, a flanged clamping-nut carried on this threaded portion serving to attach the device to the book-lid and a wrench pivotally carried on the upper part of said post above the clamping-nut thereon for the purpose of operating this latter.

4. In a device to level the-two sides of the open face of a book, the combination of an adj ustably-supported shelf adapted to support the otherwise lower side of such book, a post connected to and projecting upwardly therefrom having its lower portion screwthreaded, a flanged clamping-nut carried on this threaded portion whereby the device is temporarily attached to the book-lid, a wrench pivotally carried on the upper part of said post and above the clamping-nut thereon and a leaf-holder supported at the end of the wrench-handle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE I-I. ROGERS.

Witnesses:

P. B. CARPENTER, E. II. EGGLESTON. 

